The $38,000 hand bag: if you had more money, how would your lifestyle change?

[hedgehog]

115. I'd like to expand on your comment by pointing out that

all too often someone makes the argument that if we divided so-and-so's wealth amongst uswe'd all only get 38 cents each, so what's the point? It's not that any given family would get the $38,000, but that if that $38,000 was in the hands of the lower 99%, it would circulate among them as they exchange goods and services - it would be putting people to work. In the case under discussion, the $100 would go to the cook and wait staff, who would go out and spend it themselves for what they want, and those people would then spend it, etc. We've seen the reverse on the local news many, many times when a local plant shuts down - the cliche accompanying story is to interview local sandwich shops to hear how the owners will have problems now that they've lost so many customers!

In other words, the more families that can go out and spend $100 on a meal, the better off we all are. It makes a significant long term impact on many, many families!